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First springer heads up Columbia

April 26, 2010 - Roseburg, OR, USA- Large spring Chinook salmon are seen through the viewing glass at the Winchester Dam fish ladder on the North Umpqua River near Roseburg, Ore., on Monday, April 26, 2010. The fish ladder allows the ocean-going salmon to bypass the Winchester Dam on their way upstream to spawn in fresh water. (Robin Loznak)
By Rich Landers richl@spokesman.com(509) 459-5508
April 26, 2010 - Roseburg, OR, USA- Large spring Chinook salmon are seen through the viewing glass at the Winchester Dam fish ladder on the North Umpqua River near Roseburg, Ore., on Monday, April 26, 2010. The fish ladder allows the ocean-going salmon to bypass the Winchester Dam on their way upstream to spawn in fresh water. (Robin Loznak)
April 26, 2010 - Roseburg, OR, USA- Large spring Chinook salmon are seen through the viewing glass at the Winchester Dam fish ladder on the North Umpqua River near Roseburg, Ore., on Monday, April 26, 2010. The fish ladder allows the ocean-going salmon to bypass the Winchester Dam on their way upstream to spawn in fresh water. (Robin Loznak)

FISHING — Here’s the harbinger of what should be a better than average spring chinook fishing season in the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

“First spring Chinook of the year returned to Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery yesterday!” says Joe Hymer, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife salmon specialist in an email received moments ago.

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Outdoors Blog." Read all stories from this blog